Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Obaida Ahmed and Chris Burden.

No declarations of interests were made.

[To approve the minutes of the previous meeting as a correct record.]

Resolved:

That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 6 September 2023 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

[To approve the award of contracts for works, goods and services]

1.      That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Visitor City, in consultation with the Director of Communications and Visitor Experience, to approve the award of a contract for Events Security when the evaluation process is complete.

2.      That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Adults and Wellbeing, in consultation with the Director of Adult Social Care to approve the award of a contract for Dementia Community Support Service when the evaluation process is complete.

3.      That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Adults and Wellbeing, in consultation with the Director of Adult Social Care to approve the award of a contract for Direct Payment Support, and Bookkeeping and Payroll Service when the evaluation process is complete.

4.      That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for  Adults and Wellbeing, in consultation with the Director of Public Health, to approve the award of a contract for the Wolverhampton Young Peoples Activity Programme when the evaluation process is complete.

Councillor Louise Miles presented the report seeking delegated authority to Cabinet Members in consultation with Directors to approve the award of contracts once the evaluation processes are complete.

Resolved:

1.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Visitor City, in consultation with the Director of Communications and Visitor Experience, to approve the award of a contract for Events Security when the evaluation process is complete.

2.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Adults and Wellbeing, in consultation with the Director of Adult Social Care to approve the award of a contract for Dementia Community Support Service when the evaluation process is complete.

3.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Adults and Wellbeing, in consultation with the Director of Adult Social Care to approve the award of a contract for Direct Payment Support, and Bookkeeping and Payroll Service when the evaluation process is complete.

4.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for  Adults and Wellbeing, in consultation with the Director of Public Health, to approve the award of a contract for the Wolverhampton Young Peoples Activity Programme when the evaluation process is complete.

[To approve recommendations to progress the next stages of the A454 City East Gateway Phases 1 & 2 project]

1.      That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change in consultation with the Director of Resident Services to approve the advertisement and pursuit of Traffic Regulation Orders for the A454 City East Gateway Phases 1 & 2 – Willenhall Road project in line with the approvals granted in the Investing In Our Well-Connected Communities Transport Capital Programme 2023-2024 report.

2.      That engagement in Early Contractor Involvement for development of the work programme under the Midlands Highway Alliance Medium Scheme Framework or other alternative appropriate framework up to a value of £100,000 be approved, subject to a signed grant agreement.

3.      That the removal of vegetation and trees be authorised, subject to grant funding being secured.

4.      That a supplementary capital budget of £400,000 for the development of the A454 City East Gateway – Willenhall Road project fully funded by City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) grant be approved and the utilisation, subject to a signed grant agreement be approved.

5.      That the Chief Operating Officer be authorised to enter into or execute or seal the Grant Agreement, an agreement pursuant to Section 8 of the Highway Act 1980 together with any other legal agreement in relation to the scheme as deemed necessary in respect of the above-mentioned paragraphs.

6.      That the submission of the draft Outline Business Case to the Department for Transport and expected decision in early 2024 be noted.

7.      That the ongoing development work on the A454 City East Gateway Phases 1 & 2 - Willenhall Road Outline Business Case and towards the Full Business Case submission to the Department for Transport (DfT) and West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), in line with the approvals granted by the Investing In Our Well-Connected Communities Transport Capital Programme 2023-2024 report be noted.

1.      That it be noted that further approvals would be sought for additional externally provided development funding.

2.      That the submission of the Strategic Outline Business Case to the Single Assurance Framework at West Midlands Combined Authority in December 2022 and approved £400,000 of the project’s CRSTS allocation be noted.

3.      That the engagement in ongoing consultation with impacted parties be noted.

4.      That it be noted that future property acquisitions would be considered in a separate report, A454 City East Gateway Phases 1 and 2 (Willenhall Road) Property Acquisitions Report, which details the property acquisitions required to deliver the project and the approvals needed for the acquisitions.

Councillor Craig Collingswood presented the report on proposals to maintain momentum with delivery of the next stages of the A454 City East Gateway Phases 1 and 2 project. The A454 was a key employment, housing and transport corridor. Changing the makeup of the existing highway to create one way operation for strategic movements would release land for prioritising active travel interventions, improving journey time reliability for all road users. The scheme would also improve public transport conditions and reduce the impacts of the high number of existing journeys that that had on air quality and noise for local residents, enabling a safer, greener, healthier and more welcoming environment along this key corridor.

Resolved:

1.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change in consultation with the Director of Resident Services to approve the advertisement and pursuit of Traffic Regulation Orders for the A454 City East Gateway Phases 1 & 2 – Willenhall Road project in line with the approvals granted in the Investing In Our Well-Connected Communities Transport Capital Programme 2023-2024 report.

2.    That engagement in Early Contractor Involvement for development of the work programme under the Midlands Highway Alliance Medium Scheme Framework or other alternative appropriate framework up to a value of £100,000 be approved, subject to a signed grant agreement.

3.    That the removal of vegetation and trees be authorised, subject to grant funding being secured.

4.    That a supplementary capital budget of £400,000 for the development of the A454 City East Gateway – Willenhall Road project fully funded by City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) grant be approved and the utilisation, subject to a signed grant agreement be approved.

5.    That the Chief Operating Officer be authorised to enter into or execute or seal the Grant Agreement, an agreement pursuant to Section 8 of the Highway Act 1980 together with any other legal agreement in relation to the scheme as deemed necessary in respect of the above-mentioned paragraphs.

6.    That the submission of the draft Outline Business Case to the Department for Transport and expected decision in early 2024 be noted.

7.    That the ongoing development work on the A454 City East Gateway Phases 1 & 2 - Willenhall Road Outline Business Case and towards the Full Business Case submission to the Department for Transport (DfT) and West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), in line with the approvals granted by the Investing In Our Well-Connected Communities Transport Capital Programme 2023-2024 report be noted.

8.    That it be noted that further approvals would be sought for additional externally provided development funding.

9.    That the submission of the Strategic Outline Business Case to the Single Assurance Framework at West Midlands Combined Authority in December 2022 and approved £400,000 of the project’s CRSTS allocation be noted.

10. That the engagement in ongoing consultation with impacted parties be noted.

11. That it be noted that future property acquisitions would be considered in a separate report, A454 City East Gateway Phases 1 and 2 (Willenhall Road) Property Acquisitions Report, which  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

[To pass the following resolution:

That in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business as it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information on the grounds shown below]

That in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the remaining item of business as it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

Resolved:

That in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the remaining item of business as it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

The Chair reported that as stated previously the meeting was in confidential session as the information included in the report could, if released into the public domain, prejudice the financial position of the Council or its partners.  As such all present are under a legal duty of confidentiality and must not disclose any confidential information - to do so would not only be a breach of the Council's codes (for councillors and employees) but also a breach of the legal duty of confidentiality.

[To approve the award of contracts for works, goods and services]

1.      That a contract for the Dudley Street Refurbishment be awarded to Taylor Woodrow Infrastructure Ltd, of Astral House, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD24 4WW, for a duration of eight months from 30 October 2023 to 30 June 2024 for a total contract value of £850,000.

2.      That a contract for the City Centre Public Realm Improvements Phase Two (Lichfield Street/Queen Square) be awarded to Taylor Woodrow Infrastructure Ltd, of Astral House, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD24 4WW for a duration of eight months from 30 October 2023 to 30 June 2024 for a total contract value of £351,000.

3.      That the current contract for Single Persons Accommodation be extended to People, Potential, Possibilities t/a P3, Eagle House, Cotmanhay Road, Ilkeston, Derbyshire, DE7 8HU from 1 November 2023 to 31 March 2024 with a variation value of £415,417.

4.      That utilisation of the Dynamic Purchasing System for the Supply of Independent Living Equipment to London Borough of Croydon of Bernard Weatherill House, 8 Mint Walk, Croydon, CR0 1EA for three years from 1 December 2023 to 30 November 2026 for an estimated total contract value of £1,200,000 be approved.

5.      That the exemptions to the Contract Procedure Rules approved by the Head of Procurement and Director of Finance from 1 July to 31 August 2023 be noted.

Councillor Louise Miles presented, for approval, the exempt report on the award of contracts for works, goods and services.

Resolved:

1.    That a contract for the Dudley Street Refurbishment be awarded to Taylor Woodrow Infrastructure Ltd, of Astral House, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD24 4WW, for a duration of eight months from 30 October 2023 to 30 June 2024 for a total contract value of £850,000.

2.    That a contract for the City Centre Public Realm Improvements Phase Two (Lichfield Street/Queen Square) be awarded to Taylor Woodrow Infrastructure Ltd, of Astral House, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD24 4WW for a duration of eight months from 30 October 2023 to 30 June 2024 for a total contract value of £351,000.

3.    That the current contract for Single Persons Accommodation be extended to People, Potential, Possibilities t/a P3, Eagle House, Cotmanhay Road, Ilkeston, Derbyshire, DE7 8HU from 1 November 2023 to 31 March 2024 with a variation value of £415,417.

4.    That utilisation of the Dynamic Purchasing System for the Supply of Independent Living Equipment to London Borough of Croydon of Bernard Weatherill House, 8 Mint Walk, Croydon, CR0 1EA for three years from 1 December 2023 to 30 November 2026 for an estimated total contract value of £1,200,000 be approved.

5.    That the exemptions to the Contract Procedure Rules approved by the Head of Procurement and Director of Finance from 1 July to 31 August 2023 be noted.